Women's Swimming and Diving 11/5/2021 8:34:00 PM

Women’s Swimming and Diving Defeats Rutgers in Season Opener, 170-129

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Harvard University women's swimming and diving began its 2021-22 season with a 170-129 victory over Big Ten member Rutgers University in its season opener on Friday night at the Rutgers Aquatics Center in its first competition in over 600 days.

Competing for the first time since the NCAA Zone Diving Championships on March 9, 2020 – a span of 606 days – the Crimson (1-0) totaled eight victories, 13 second-place showings, and 11 third-place finishes to top the host Scarlet Knights (2-2).

Taking part in a swimming event for the first time since the Ivy League Championships on Feb. 22, 2020 – a span of 622 days – the Crimson swept the top three spots in five events – the 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 fly, 500 free, and 200 IM – and captured the top two spots in two other events – the 200 back and 1000 free. In their collegiate debuts, first-year Aleksandra Denisenko won three events (100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM), and first-year Abby Carr claimed first in a pair of events (200 fly, 400 fly).

In the diving portion of the meet, senior Esther Lawrence took third in 3-meter diving with a score of 291.90, and first-year Remi Edvalson came in third in 1-meter diving with a 276.30.

Harvard Highlights

Harvard captured first, second, and third in the 100-yard breaststroke with first-year Aleksandra Denisenko earning the top spot (1:03.82). Sophomore Victoria Eisenhauer (1:05.38) and first-year Maggie Buckley (1:05.63) followed in second and third. Those results turned a 50-43 deficit into a 59-53 advantage for the Crimson.
First-year Aleksandra Denisenko won her second race of the evening in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:20.32. Senior Mikki Thompson and junior Liz Boyer took second (2:20.32) and third (2:24.38) respectively.
First-year Aleksandra Denisenko tallied her third victory of the night with a time of 2:04.81 in the 200-yard individual medley. First-year Erin Cavanagh and senior Mikki Thompson completed the sweep of the top three spots in 2:05.36 and 2:09.01.
The Crimson went one-two-three in the 200-yard butterfly behind first-year Abby Carr (2:01.46), senior Felicia Pasadyn (2:01.79), and junior Liz Boyer (2:05.55).
First-year Abby Carr tallied her second victory of the night with a time of 55.59 in the 100-yard butterfly.
Harvard swept the top three spots in the 500-yard freestyle behind efforts from senior Helena Moreno (5:04.26), first-year Carlie Rose (5:08.28), and sophomore Kate Hazlett (5:10.11).
In the 200-yard backstroke, senior Felicia Pasadyn won the race with a time of 1:59.59, and first-year Maggie Buckley came in second in 2:01.00. Those results helped extend Harvard's edge from 87-81 to 102-85.
Junior Marcel Ruppert-Gomez and first-year Carlie Rose took the top two spots in the 1000-yard freestyle behind times of 10:16.72 and 10:28.39 respectively.
Harvard improved to 2-1 all-time against Rutgers.